“The old truck stop location will not be mowed. ” –VDOT
At the Tuesday Board of Supervisors meeting, Dr. Mac Scothorn asked VDOT representative Ray Varney why the area that used to be the Truck Stop has not been mowed. It was his understanding VDOT had agreed to take care of it. Scothorn was on the Board when the Supervisors worked with VDOT on the Exit 150 interchange improvements.
Scothorn used a previous quote by Varney concerning VDOT. “We are good at concrete and pavement and not so good at grass.”
Yesterday Varney, who carries a symbolic stuffed black crow with him to the podium, replied. “That is the second time today I have heard about this. This was never supposed to be maintained by VDOT. It is a pollinator meadow. You may have a beautiful monarch butterfly land at your home.”
After the meeting both Scothorn and Billy Martin said they did not recall this was not supposed to be maintained. On July 22, the day before, The Botetourt Bee posed the same question in an email to Jason Bond in Public Relations at the Salem division of VDOT.
It is one the most frequent comments The Botetourt Bee gets from readers who so far regard “The Meadow” as not a good portal into the county. For instance, Botetourt resident Greg Riley said, “They traded the Truck Stop and tax revenue for an eyesore unmowed field.”
On July 24, Bond responded in an email to The Botetourt Bee as follows:
“The old truck stop location will not be mowed. This area has been developed and planted with wildflowers and trees in support of VDOT’s Pollinator Habitat Program. More information about the program can be
found on VDOT’s website at
https://www.virginiadot.org/programs/pollinator_habitat_program.asp.
Bond wrote:
“The landscaping discussions that VDOT has had with the Botetourt County
Board of Supervisors are not about the old truck stop location. We have
been meeting with them and discussing the roundabout and the roadway
location heading toward Gateway Crossing. The county has not expressed
interest so far in landscaping for the roundabout itself or the section
approaching Gateway Crossing, so VDOT is exploring options.”
Varney asked the BOS and County Administrator Gary Larrowe several meetings ago if they would take it over the roundabout landscaping or get a public or civic group to tend the area. The Board through Larrowe, indicated “No.” Even then it seemed the BOS believed “The Meadow,” was part of the discussion not just the roundabout and Gateway Crossing. Scothorn said after yesterday’s meeting. “It was part of the discussion before this improvement exchange was ever done.”
So when you drive by ” The Meadow,” hope for a Monarch Butterfly in your yard. Providing Milkweed was part of the plantings. A few years down the road, no pun intended, it may become brushy overgrowth and long in the future could become a forest once again.
Until then, it will collect some trash and on a Monday evening about 6 weeks ago sported a huge bear running toward I-81. A pollinator meadow. Grown up.
Because VDOT isn’t good at grass.
Story and Photo by Cathy Benson
